If?
by Inappropriate-sugartits
Summary: Maura and Jane are having a lazy night watching TV and something sparks the beginnings of a conversation and maybe something more...


**A/N I think I am back. Well I am trying anyway. I've been so unmotivated and uninspired with life at the moment. Anyway...on to the story. It's only short...if you want more let me know. Thanks to Tess Gerritsen/Janet Tamero/Jan Nash for creating these characters I adore. They're all yours ladies...just my ideas on how I want the romance...**

'Jane?'

Lifting her head from the arm of the couch, Jane looked towards Maura. 'hmmm?'

After a long day at work and lazy night watching Orange is the new Black, Jane was exhausted and falling asleep. The show seemed to have finished and Maura had moved on to something else. It seemed British and Jane let her eyes close again.

'Jane' Maura's voice was slightly more insistent and Jane's head sprang up.

'Yup, I'm awake!'

'Were you asleep?' Maura laughed. She squeezed Jane's legs which had managed to make their way on to her lap.

'I didn't think so but I think I missed the show, Maur' Jane looked directly at Maura, slightly doe-eyed. She was the epitome of adorable, until she wiped her forearm across her face and screwed her face up. 'Eww, drool.'

Maura winced and Jane sat up, extending her now drool covered forearm towards Maura.

'Don't you dare.' Maura looked at Jane, pointedly daring her to try. Deciding she was simply too tired, Jane flopped back into her former position and relaxed her legs over Maura again.

'So Jane.' Maura's eyes returned to the television. The programme was Extras, and the main characters had just had a discussion regarding the future. If they were still single in five years, should they move in together. It was a question posed a lot by male/female friendships on televisions these days and Maura wondered why it was so typical for male/female lead characters to end up together rather than male/male or female/female etc etc. After all, that's how a lot relationships occur. Feelings develop and physiology can play no part in it. In this instance, it seemed purely platonic though. She had seen only a few episodes and had no idea what happened further down the line.

'Mmm?' Jane's eyes had closed again.

'Would it be strange to say if we were still single in five years, could we move in together?' Maura posed the question like she was stating a business case at work.

'I guess, people already think we're together anyway. We may as well live together.' Jane's sleepy voice, had a hint of humour and something else. Maura could not quite place it.

'I didn't mean romantically, Jane. Wait? People think we are together?' Maura couldn't help but sound surprised.

'Yep, you know what guys are like though. Pervs. I doubt they're having _romantic _thoughts about us so much as...' Jane's arm had slumped over her face to block out the light and her deeper breathing told Maura she was nodding off again.

Switching off the television, Maura nudged off Jane's legs. ' Really, I doubt we've ever given that impression to anyone. We're friends, nothing more'

Jane stayed on the couch as Maura started tidying. The room was filled with silence and Maura was suddenly aware that Jane possibly wasn't asleep. She felt the need to explain herself.

'Jane. I didn't mean nothing more, like I hadn't imagined it. We could be a wonderful couple, but given your sexuality is 100% heterosexual, I know we have purely a platonic relationship. I can't imagine you being single in five years but if you are we could live together. Platonically.'

Silence reigned again as Maura stood stock still. She wondered how she had went from asking a simple question to feeling like she had crushed her own heart again.

'Who told you I was 100% heterosexual?' Jane's quiet voice disturbed the quiet in the room.

'Well, I have never heard you discuss any other preferences than men. You know Casey, Gabriel..' Maura faded off as Jane sat up and rested her chin in her hands and smiled lazily.

'Can we take this conversation to bed. I am so tired.' Jane smiled at Maura. Nodding, Maura extended a hand to Jane who, in typical Jane style, grabbed on with both hands and let Maura pull her up.

Maura smiled as Jane slung her arms round her shoulders and gave her a quick hug. She let her head fall into Maura's shoulder and her weight to lean against her too.

Maura felt herself tip slightly. 'Jaaaane. I am not carrying you.' She shrugged her off and turned her with the hands she had wrapped around her waist. 'Get moving Detective.'

Jane felt Maura's hand push her forward, while holding on to her waist. 'What about-' Jane gestured towards the mess on the table Maura had begun to clear.

'I'm kinda tired too. I'll do it in the morning.' Maura let the tiredness she felt seep slightly from her voice. 'You're staying in with me, I presume?'

'We have a conversation to finish.'


End file.
